More than 400 Alaskan artists applied for grants from the Rasmuson Foundation, and just 35 were chosen. Two of those artists are from Juneau, and will be embarking on artistic endeavors as a result.

Marian Call and Lily Hope received project awards, amounting to $7,500 each, for their artistic pursuits. Call will be using her funds to learn more about digitally mastering her music, creating an EP using samples, loops and other digital effects. Hope will travel to British Columbia to study Chilkat weaving at the Vancouver Museum of Anthropology. Hope’s mother, who was her mentor, died in 2016, and Hope looks to carry on her legacy.

Rasmuson has been supporting arts and culture in Alaska for 14 years, giving money directly to artists. To date, the foundation has given out 444 grants, amounting to around $4 million. This year’s Distinguished Artist, who received a $40,000 grant, is Gert Svarny of Unalaska, who specializes in ivory and soapstone sculptures.